The Second Annual Staten Island Comedy Festival will take place Monday, June 22 through Saturday, June 27 with six different comedy shows at six great Staten Island locations, featuring some of the best local and national headlining comedians.
The festival is directed by co-founders Joel Richardson’02 M’07 (aka “Soul Joel”) and Spiro Sports Center manager Scott Chamberlin M’07.
The first two nights of the festival will feature the “Big Stage Competition,” where 10 comedians will compete for a spot on “The Grand Finale” show at the Music Hall at Snug Harbor on Saturday, June 27. These 10 comedians were chosen during an online competition earlier this year. Five of them will compete on Monday, June 22 at 9 p.m. at the Dugout Pub & Grill, 1614 Forest Ave., and the other five will compete on Tuesday, June 23 at 9 p.m. at the Cellar, 304 Manor Rd. One winner from each night will be chosen by three judges — a talent scout, a comedy coach and an industry executive — and will share the stage with Gary Gulman of “Last Comic Standing” in Saturday’s “Grand Finale” competition.
The Bistro Restaurant, 2561 Hylan Blvd., home of Soul Joel Productions’ new monthly comedy show, will be the site for “Hylan Hysterics” on Wednesday, June 24 at 9 p.m.
The show on Thursday, June 25 at 9 p.m. will be an “Improv Night” at the Cup, 388 Van Duzer St., featuring some of Staten Island’s favorite improvisational comedy groups.
The comedy festival will travel across the island on Friday, June 26 at 9 p.m. to Lorenzo’s Restaurant, Bar & Grill at the Hilton Garden Inn. Co-headliners for this evening’s show of “Cabaret Comedy” will include Joe DeVito of “Last Comic Standing” and Sirius Radio’s Pete Dominick.
Then comes “The Grand Finale” on Saturday, June 27 at 9pm at the 680-seat Music Hall at Snug Harbor, 1000 Richmond Terrace. The Staten Island Comedy Festival will celebrate the conclusion of this weeklong event with national headliner Gary Gulman of “Last Comic Standing,” the two “Big Stage Competition” winners, and your host, “Soul Joel” Richardson, voted “Best Standup Comic” in the Staten Island Advance’s 2008 Readers’ Poll.
Tickets for all shows can be purchased at the door, but it is recommended that you make reservations for Friday’s “Cabaret Comedy” show by calling (718) 477-2400, and for Saturday’s “Grand Finale” by calling (718) 948-3804. Visit the festival on the Web for more information at www.StatenIslandComedyFestival.com.
